A New Journey
by luckyguy14
Summary: A new chapter is up! So, what's up next in Marco's life? Well, it may not be what you think. And, no, not that. Or that! Please R&R!
1. Comfort

DISCLAIMER: I am in no way affiliated with Degrassi: The Next Generation.

NOTE: This fanfic contains homosexual activity.

Marco was in pain. All he could do was cry there on his bed. Marco just wanted to kill himself. His weeping was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Marco?" a very familiar voice said.

"Who is it?" Marco asked. Boy what a stupid question! He thought to himself.

"It's me Dylan. Can I come in?"

"Sure." Boy, that perked him right up.

"Listen, Marco, I know it's hard, your first day, but you gotta stay strong. That's all I told myself."

"Why does Spinner have to be such a jerk? He just can't keep one secret. _One _secret. That's all I ask from him my whole life. Now it's all over the school, everyone's looking at me strange…"

"Marco, calm down." Dylan put his hand on Marco's shoulder. Marco examined it, like it was unexpected. "It'll be alright. You have great friends and a great family to support you through this. And most importantly, you have me. I've already gone through this. I know it's tough, okay. But all you have to do is keep your head up. You'll always have someone around you in case of an emergency. I'll make sure of that, okay?"

Marco's crying ceased. He wiped his eyes and hugged Dylan. Dylan was taken aback by this by he eased into.

"Look, I don't know if you're ready for this. I'm dying to be your boyfriend. I've liked you since first sight. It's been building up in me since that moment. You're nice, sweet, sensitive, charming, um…hot." Dylan gave a little giggle. Marco did too.

"Dylan, I would be honored to be your boyfriend. I've liked you since the first time I saw you, too. You're also sweet, charming, hot." They both chuckled together. "Hey, I've got a terrific idea. Let's go to the mall together tomorrow night at eight. We see a movie, shop around, do whatever you want to do. Does that sound good?"

Dylan looked at him surprised at how quick he was learning. "Yeah, that sounds like a load of fun. You want me to drive?"

"Of course. I can't, yet"

"Oh yeah. I forgot. You just seem so mature for your age." Marco blushed. "Well, see you tomorrow then."

"Yep. Bye." Marco could not stop smiling. All he could think about was Dylan and what they were going to do on their date tomorrow. Or wait. Was it a date? They didn't declare each other boyfriend and boyfriend yet. Marco just assumed they were. Aw, he thought, we have to be.


	2. First Date

Marco woke up the next day in an uncomfortable position face to face with the floor. It must have been from that dream he had last night…

He was so absent minded that morning. He put his jeans on backwards, used his Colgate for Right Guard, and didn't even bother shampooing his hair. All he could think about was his possible first boyfriend Dylan. His face, his hair, his body, his personality, and everything about him. He just couldn't wait for eight o'clock tonight. Only thirteen and a half hours to go!

"Hey Marco!" a familiar voice beckoned.

"Oh, hey Ellie!" Marco said more peppy than usual lately.

"I heard from Ash who heard from Paige who heard from Dylan that you two are going on a date!" She said it in a kind of childish voice.

"Yeah." Marco became red in the face. "Dylan talked to me last night and…"

"Ooh. Night. Anything…"

"No. Of course not." He sounded kind of disappointed.

"Well, I gotta go to MI class. So, I'll see you tomorrow. I don't want to keep you from your date." She got immature again.

"Ellie cut the crap." He nudged her. "I'll call you to tell you how it went, alright. It'll probably be between ten and eleven."

"That early? Geez, not planning much are you?

"It's just to the mall. That mall's so terrible anyway. So, adios."

"Bye. Have fun." Huh, he thought. I hope I have loads of fun.

Marco's eyes were glued to his bedroom alarm clock. Five after eight, it read. He's just fashionably late, he thought in anticipation. Marco thought Dylan would be early by the way Dylan was talking about it today in the library at school. Marco then heard the bass pulsing to Fountains of Wayne, Dylan's favorite band.

He ran downstairs and ran out the door still putting his Abercrombie & Fitch jacket on himself because he didn't want his overprotective parents giving two year older Dylan the third degree. He jumped into Dylan's forest green SUV, but on Dylan's side.

Marco then said, "Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I'm just so…"

"Excited?" Marco and Dylan giggled together in perfect unison. After Marco got in the car on the right side, Marco put his arm next to Dylan's on the arm rest. Marco really wasn't sure what to do. Do I hold his hand? Will he do it first? He kept "fixing" his hair just to give the appearance of calmness. Marco could actually kind of tell Dylan was nervous himself.

"Have you ever been…been with a guy?" Marco hesitantly asked.

"Well, sit back. Let me tell you a little story." Marco eased back into the leather upholstered seat. "It goes a little something like this. One of the cool guys at school came out of the closet. This was after he found out I have a crush on him. We hung around each other all the time. I was absolutely crazy for him. I hated to be separated from him. When we finally went on our first date. It was to a movie. It was one of those 2002 chick flicks. But anyway, during the movie, I started snuggling up to him and he backed away. I kept trying to make an advance on him, trying to get somewhere with him. We had been together for a month already. He continued to back away and eventually walked out of the movie without me. And he drove! The next day I saw his crowd of friends giving him twenty bucks each. So, it turned out, he wasn't even a virgin and he got a total of two hundred dollars for going out with me. I never spoke to any one of those guys ever again."

"Wow, that must have really crushed you. I can't even imagine how devastated I would be if that happened to me. Man." Marco really did feel sorry for him. He never really cared about ANYONE like this before.

"Yeah. I saw the guidance counselor at school for a month everyday. It broke my heart. That's probably why I was the only openly gay at school. Now I'm one two." They both smiled. Before they knew it, they arrived at the mall.

"Wow. It's deserted," Dylan said.

"Well, no crowds, closer parking spots," Marco said with a smile.

They walked in the mall very close together, almost like they wanted to hold hands. Marco wanted to real bad, but he didn't want everyone staring at them. They decided to go shopping for clothes, then catch a movie.

After their mini shopping spree at American Eagle, which Dylan totally paid for, they went and saw a movie. Dylan grabbed Marco's hand and dragged him to the back of the theater. Marco knew exactly why.

Once the movie started, Dylan looked down at Marco, like he was expecting something. Ten minutes through, Dylan slowly put his hand on Marco's knee. Marco looked down at it and looked at Dylan. It was a look of approval. Half an hour later, Marco slouched down into his seat and put his head on Dylan's shoulder. Their hearts were pounding with excitement. They couldn't believe this was happening. They were actually having a relationship with someone who they liked and liked them back. And they were showing it in public. The people ahead of them looked back with a disgusted look on their face, but Dylan saw them out of the corner of his eye and put his head down on Marco's who was already leaning on Dylan. Marco saw that he did it to prove a point to the people ahead, but Dylan rubbed his head on his, and realized he did it for another reason. 

After the movie was over, they got up and held hands all the way to Dylan's car. Neither of them cared what people thought of them. Marco liked that feeling of carelessness. He smiled while he was holding hands, laughing, and just plain enjoying his night with Dylan. He was, well, happy for the first time in a long time.

Boy, happiness, that's something Marco hadn't felt for, who knows how long. He's been having difficulty with his life ever since he entered junior high. He actually felt happy, healthy, and good.

Dylan and Marco hopped in the big SUV. But not exactly in the passenger's seat…


	3. Nights

Marco and Dylan both jumped into the back seat of the SUV on either side. Dylan practically pounced on top of Marco. Marco put his hand up.

"Dylan, wait. I don't know if I'm ready for this."

Dylan's face looked rather disappointed. Dylan has been waiting for this moment ever since he realized he was gay. "Why?" Dylan asked Marco.

"First of all, where's the condoms? Dr. Sally says we still need them even though we are gay." Dylan started rummaging under the back seat of his car. He pulled out a box Marco couldn't read in the dark of the night. He assumed they were what he asked for. Dylan pulled two out. "Okay, but what if people see us, or even the police? They patrol these parking lots at night like crazy." Dylan had a look on his face like "Hey, that's a good point." Then Marco continued saying, "Besides, this is the first real date I've ever been on. Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine sex on the first date, let alone a kiss."

"Well, that was obviously before you knew me," Dylan said. Marco looked at him in a way that he never looked at someone before. It was a look of approval, a look of enjoyment, a look of love. There was a long pause before Marco even moved. He turned his head. The clock in Dylan's car read 11:07. Wow, Marco thought, Ellie was right.

Dylan threw the condoms he was holding down on the floor of the car and started kissing Marco. First on the lips, then on his neck. Marco tilted his head back in total pleasure. He felt so good. He never felt anything like this before. Marco pushed Dylan away because he heard cars driving around the parking lot.

"Oh yeah, I forgot," Dylan said. They happy, or should I say "gay" couple, climbed into the front seats. Dylan turned the key to the car, showing that it was 11:38. That only gave them twenty minutes to anything at all. It was ten minute drive back to Marco's house, then another five to Dylan's. Which, after some quick math, Dylan figured out they only had seven minutes to something.

"Marco, I hate to tell you this, but my parents want me back at midnight." Marco checked the clock. "So, do you want to go somewhere tomorrow?"

"Sure, I'd love to. My parents want me back at midnight too. Speaking of my parents, they're not gonna be around tomorrow night. You wanna watch a movie tomorrow night? My house will be empty."

"Well, duh. What teenager wouldn't take advantage of that opportunity?" They both giggled. Marco kind of forced himself, though.

"Eight o'clock, same time? They leave at seven and we have to leave room for error."

"That'd be great. I'll drive over."

Dylan drove Marco home. They held hands the whole way. When Dylan pulled into Marco's driveway, Marco gave Dylan a goodnight kiss, instead of Dylan giving Marco one. "See you tomorrow, honey." Marco slammed the door when Dylan said something back. Oh my God, Marco thought, did I just call Dylan "honey"? Wow, I must be crazy about him.

"Marco, why didn't you call me?"

"Huh, what?" Marco was kind of taken by surprise walking to the cafeteria.

"I said, why didn't you call me last night? You said you were gonna be home from your date, remember?" Ellie was getting a bit of an attitude.

"I said if I came home from my date in that time period. I didn't."

"Oooh. Somebody got lucky last might." Marco blushed, even thought he didn't "get lucky" last night.

"Actually, we ran out of time before we could get lucky. We fooled around a bit though in the back of his giant SUV. Thank God that's a big car."

"Well, you know what they say. The bigger the car the smaller the…"

"Yeah I heard that." Marco cut her off before she could finish. "Tonight we are gonna watch a movie, on my couch, while my parents are on a business trip, with no one else around."

"Awesome! I wish I could do that with someone." Ellie dazed into space, dreaming of her dream man.

"Yeah, lucky me." Marco was hoping he could say that again tomorrow.

Marco was running late. He was so busy getting the house ready in an hour, he forgot to get himself ready. He figured he should shower, put some sexy, tight clothes on, and splash some cologne on. He finally got the house the way he wanted it at 7:48. That only gave twelve minutes to get himself ready. I leave the door unlocked, he thought, just in case I take too long. He got out his button-up Banana Republic shirt along with his tightest pair of vintage style jeans. He ran downstairs to iron them, then ran back upstairs to shower. It was 7:57.

Dylan pulled in the driveway. He jumped out quickly with a Blockbuster bag in hand. He rang the doorbell. Nobody came to the door. It was unlocked, so he thought he would just let himself in. Dylan was kind of nervous. Did Marco hate me? Did he break up with me?

Dylan ran upstairs to Marco's room, having been there before, once he realized Marco wasn't downstairs. Dylan rushed in Marco's room, seeing Marco in nothing but a sexy black jock strap.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry, Marco. I should of knocked. I was worried you were mad at me." Dylan couldn't stop looking at Marco's body. His eyes were moving up and down Marco as he was speaking.

"Okay, I forgive you. Now do you mind getting out," Marco said in an embarrassed voice, covering himself up with the nearest towel, then towels. Dylan dashed downstairs, totally ashamed of himself. Marco couldn't get over what had just happened. He just kept laughing. He didn't know what he was laughing at, though. He quickly got dressed, not wanting to keep Dylan waiting.

"Marco, I'm so sorry," Dylan said as Marco came down, emphasizing the word so. But the thing is, Dylan wasn't the least bit sorry. He just thought it was the polite thing to say.

"No you're not."

"Yes I am."

"No you're not. I wouldn't if I walked in on you wearing nothing but skimpy underwear." They both laughed, especially Dylan. It was like Marco just said everything what Dylan was thinking.

"Yeah, you're right. You just read my mind." Dylan blushed. "So, I brought over 'Swimfan'. I was intrigued by the fact that a hot high school-er was going to swim in one of those tight Speedos."

"Okay, sounds good to me." It really did too. Marco took the movie from Dylan and popped it in the player. He sat right next to Dylan on the couch. Marco started to snuggle with Dylan.


	4. Tough Stuff

Marco and Dylan were snuggling on the couch when Dylan started choking on a popcorn kernel.

"Oh my God! Let me help you. I know the Heimlich." Dylan stood up and let Marco do the maneuver. Popcorn came flying out of his mouth clear across the room.

"Ew, that's nasty," Dylan commented as he picked up the pieces of the newly waxed hard-wood floors.

"That's alright." But, it actually wasn't alright. It kind of took them out of the mood. Why does that always happen to me? Marco thought.

Before they knew it, the movie was over. They found themselves holding each other really close. The funny thing is that they never remember putting their arms around each other. Marco took Dylan by the hand and brought him upstairs into his room. Marco put on some light music, lit some candles, and turned the lights out.

"Your room is really clean, and I put an emphasis on clean," Dylan said. He just couldn't stop loving his room. He didn't notice it the first time he was in there. It had a lovely shade of blue on the walls with beautiful furniture arranged in a great way.

"Yeah, thanks. I took interior designing class last year and totally redecorated my room. I had to work all summer to get enough money to pay for everything." Marco said that in a cool, casual manner, like he was the king of the world, but didn't want anyone to know.

"Ooh, a working man. I like them. I find a guy with a job shows a lot of good qualities." Marco totally blushed by Dylan's flattering remark. Marco was smart though. He didn't know if Dylan was just saying that to have sex with him or he really did mean it.

"Really. Well, isn't that interesting because I find guys with their own cars shows that they can handle many things." Marco just felt like he had to say something back.

"Oh yeah? Why is that?"

"I, uh, it shows that they can handle money well." Oh man Marco, he thought to himself, that was horrible.

"Oh, I see," Dylan said. Dylan was sitting on Marco's bed while Marco walked around his room in a nervous manner. Dylan moved to the side so he can drop the hint of what he wanted to do. Marco reluctantly sat down next to Dylan. Dylan touched Marco's knee. Marco stared at it for a little while. Why does this feel so, well, wrong?, he thought. He figured he better say something before Dylan gets too, for lack of a better word, wild.

"Listen, Dylan, honey." Did I just call him honey again? "I don't feel we are right for each other."

"What? What are you talking about? Of course we are."

Marco knew he should have thought this over a little more before he said anything. "Well, I don't think we're right for each other."

"Why not? Oh my God, don't tell me you're not…"

"Of course I am, Dylan. Duh. But, shouldn't it be easier to, get intimate, with you if I really did like you? I mean, you're totally cool and you'd be a great friend or big brother even, but I just don't think we should be together like this."

"But, WHY? You still really haven't answered that for me."

"Well, to start with the age difference kind of freaks me out. If you were in grade eleven it wouldn't be that hard."

"Yeah, go on. I want more reasons."

"Look I just don't think we should be together." Marco raised his voice at Dylan. "It just feels wrong doing stuff like that with you."

Dylan got just as loud. "Oh yeah, well good luck finding a boyfriend around here at your age. All the gays are my age or higher."

They started screaming at each other, red in their faces. "You know, all you can do is realize how lucky _you_ are. And I'll admit you are. But you can't make me feel better, can you?"

"What? I…" Marco ran out of the room, downstairs, and out the door. 

Dylan chased after Marco with his car. When Dylan finally caught up, he rolled down the power window.

"Listen, Marco, I'm sorry for what I did." Marco wouldn't speak to him for awhile. Marco eventually turned his head and spoke.

"Do you even know what you did?" Dylan blankly stared at him. "You kept pressuring me and taking advantage of me. All you want to do with me is have sex! I honestly don't even know why you just want to have it. Probably because you just want a history so you can brag to older guys that you've gotten laid."

"What?" Dylan was outraged. "That's so not true. I really do like you and I wasn't pressuring you or taking advantage of you."

"Yes you were," Marco shouted back. "You were pressuring me to do it with you and you were taking advantaged my age and desperateness. Now if you will just leave me alone, okay? I don't ever want to speak to you again." Marco began crying.

"Fine. Have it your way. You'll come crawling back to me anyway."

Marco was three miles away from his house. It was after midnight. He was scared. He didn't want a repeat of what happened last month. He was almost home.

"Hey, fag." A voice came from the bushes.


	5. In Bed

NOTE: I just wanted to thank degrassicutie1 for all her support. You've really kept me going. I know we have two things in common: We like to write and we love DEGRASSI! I'm really happy that someone thinks that my writing is excellent!!! ;-)

The sentence labeled with *stars* only die-hard Degrassi fans would get.

"Who the hell is that?" Marco said with a frightened voice.

"It's just me, queer." It was Spinner. "So, I don't know how to tell you this, but, I like you and, um, do you want to go out with me?"

"I'm going out with Dylan, stupid." Marco knew he was lying, but he didn't know if Spin was.

"No you're not."

"You mean you followed me all the way from Church Street?" Spinner nodded. "Oh my God."

"So. Do you want to go out with me?" Marco knew he was being a smart ass for sure.

"Okay, when making a joke, don't crack up while you are saying it, genius."

"But I didn't."

"True, but you were grinning from ear to ear. Just get out of my face would you." Spinner wouldn't move though. Marco stepped to the left. Spinner cut him off. Marco took a giant step to the right, but Spinner just cut him off again.

"Alright, what do you want?" Marco asked in an irritated voice. He knew he wanted something, but Spinner wouldn't answer. "What the hell is? Money? My watch? *My _shoes_?" Marco just couldn't give up the opportunity.* "A kiss?" Marco said in a girly voice, batting his eyelashes. He knew he shouldn't have done that to upset Spinner even more, but Spinner was ticking him off. "What's your deal?"

"Sure, we'll have all of those, except the kiss." Spinner made a face.

"What do you mean 'we'?" Just then, three other guys appeared on the opposite side of the street from behind a bench. "Oh my God." Marco started running for the direction away from Spinner. He ran as fast as he could, but they were quickly gaining on him. Dancing shoes are not good for running, kids.

When there was very little distance between Marco and Spinner's gang, Marco got so tired, he just gave up. He didn't want to, but he had to do it. His lungs hurt terribly, along with his head, legs, and feet since it was rather chilly outside and he had no jacket at the moment. All he wanted right now was to be home alone in his bed.

"Don't lay a finger on me!" Marco yelled at them, but they didn't listen. The one stranger grabbed him and held his arms back as another punched him and another checked his pockets…

~~~~~~~~

"Marco. Marco. Mar-coooo." It was Ellie. She was crowded by Paige, Craig, Jimmy, and Ashley.

Marco opened his eyes. "Hey El. What? Where am I?" He leaned up from his hospital bed and looked around the room. The clock on the wall read 3:26 a.m.

"Thank God I'm Spinner's girlfriend and thank God he's stupid. I got a call at 12:55 from that jerk I called a boyfriend." She emphasized the past tense part of "called". "Yeah, that's right. Spinner woke me up in the middle of the night to brag about your, um, bashing." She didn't want to say the word, but she couldn't find another one. "How stupid is that? Anyway, Dylan had told me you guys broke up and I was worried for you then, especially when he said he left you in the dark on the streets. I called up all the guys here and we went looking for you after you weren't at your house. Jimmy and Craig found you lying unconscious on the ground. It turns out they broke one of your ribs and damaged one of your organs. I forget which one, but that's besides the point. Are you in pain Marco?"

"Yeah, I am." He paused for a second. "But up here." He pointed his head. The greatest friends in the world all gave Marco a group hug.

"Thanks guys. I needed that."

"It's a shame your parents aren't home. We honestly don't know what to do with you," Ashley said in a concerned voice. "They won't release you to us, unless your parents give us permission." She rolled her eyes.

"Hey guys, it's practically the weekend. We'll skip school today. We can take shifts watching Marco and his house," Jimmy said. Marco began rummaging through his pockets for his house key.

"Oh, damn. Miss school?" Craig said. The six friends laughed together. Marco was happy to laugh.

"Uh, guys. They took my house key. And my cell phone. And my wallet with my money. Did you happen to report this to the police yet?"

"Oh my God! I totally forgot!" Ellie screamed.

"Here, Craig and I will. They'll probably come here to ask you stuff and crap like that," Jimmy said.

"Yeah, man. We'll be back as soon as we can," Craig said. He left the room with Jimmy in a hurry.

"Ash and I will go check out your house. You know, see if they're there," Paige said.

"Well, I kinda left in a hurry, so the front door's unlocked."

"Alright, thanks." Paige and Ashley left the hospital room together.

"I'll stay with you Marco," Ellie said in a sweet voice.

"Thanks, girl." He rubbed her hand that was holding the rail of the bed. Ellie gave her best friend another needed hug. He sat farther up in his bed. "You know what El? Why does being gay have to be a punishment or something like that?"

"Well, to some people it is. But overall, it's just the way you live your life. So you live differently than nine-tenths of the world. Big deal. But it's just their problem, not yours. Got that? You know, you've probably heard that speech before."

"Actually, I haven't heard any speeches on being gay, except from…" He paused, not wanting to think about Dylan. "Never mind."

"Hey you know, today at school, these two new kids were there. I assume they were new. The girl had a pink handkerchief hanging out of her left back pocket while the guy had a blue one hanging out of his right back pocket. What was up with that?"

"Are you serious?" Marco looked at her like she just told him he won a million dollars. "Come here. Let me tell you." 

He whispered into her ear what it meant. His explanation on the girl's handkerchief totally grossed her out. After he finished the secret, she yelled, "Oh my God! Are you freakin' serious?"

"Yeah! I am!" Marco was very excited about this new student at Degrassi Community School.

NOTE: Just to let you know, I stopped the first part of this chapter early because a bashing is the worst thing that can ever happen to me. I hate thinking about stuff like that just because a person is different. That one episode made me cry!


	6. Back to School

"So, she's a Lesbian, and he's gay?" Ellie said.

"Yeah, totally. The handkerchiefs were all part of the hanky code. She gives it, he gets it.* Oh, crap." Marco said in voice that acted like something was very wrong.

"What? What's wrong?" Ellie was highly concerned.

"I get it too."

"Excuse me?" She was quite confused.

"I do it on the bottom too."

Ellie finally got it. "Oh my God." She said that in a disgusted tone. "You haven't even seen the guy and you're already thinking about getting laid by him."

"Well, that's the way we work." Marco smirked. "So, is he cute?" He just had to know.

"No." She paused and smiled. "He's totally hot."

"Oh man. That's the best news I got all day."

"You know, you're awfully shallow when it comes to guys, but you're the opposite when it comes to girls."

"That's because guys are hot."

~~~~~Later that week…~~~~~

"Hey, Marco. It's good to have you back in school," Craig said.

"Yeah man, if you need help, just pop on over to my apartment and I'll give you help."

"Thanks guys. I really appreciate it." He didn't really. All he cared about was meeting the new members of the family.* "Hey do you know anything about the new kids?" He needed more info and he needed it now.

"Oh you mean Brett and Journey? Yeah, they seem alright. From a distance of course," Craig said.

"You haven't really approached them yet?" Marco said in an excited voice, expecting something.

"Well, Brett, she's…"

"She?"

"Yeah. She's got her hair dyed weird colors and I think she was wearing men's clothing, but that part was probably just me," Craig said.

"And Journey, the guy, he was dressed…," Jimmy only knew one way to describe Journey's attire. "He was dressed, well, like you. All tight clothes. Stuff matched. You know how you dress." Marco smiled and loved that part.

"Really? Well Marco's ready to strike at any time," Marco said in third person.

"Ew. Don't talk like that around us." Craig was turned off a little by that. They walked up the steps into school.

~~~~~~~~~~

Marco was by his locker when a grade eleven approached him. He had a good taste in clothes. Kind of Marco's.

"Hi. Are you Marco Del Mossi?"

"Uh, yeah. It's Del Rossi. But whatever's fine. Um…" Marco couldn't find the words for his new crush. Marco thought he was way hotter than Dylan. "Do you happen to be Journey?"

"Yeah? How did you know?"

"Well, how did you know me?"

"My boyfriend Dylan told me about you. So, I'm in grade eleven and…"

"What did he say about me?" Marco knew he was jumping all over someone who he's only known for fifteen seconds, but he just had to know.

"Well, he said that you were gay, like us, and that was it. What surprised me was that you two never went out or anything like that. He's so cute."

Marco was appalled at this. Was Dylan that ashamed of our relationship, he thought. I know I was two years younger than him, but…

"Hello? Earth to Marco." Marco snapped out of his train of thought. Journey gave a little giggle. "Well my locker's right down the hallway, so I bet we'll see plenty of each other."

"Yeah, I'd like that." Oh my God, Marco thought. Did I just say that? "I didn't mean it like that…"

"I know what you meant. It must be hard being a lonely gay guy. See ya." That was very insulting to Marco. He could have slapped him across the face for saying that.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"So, did you meet the gay guy yet?" Ellie was waiting for this period.

"Yeah." Marco didn't sound so excited anymore.

"What's wrong?" Ellie was dying to know.

"He's already going out with Dylan. Can you believe that? He just scoops up the nearest cute queer, and tries to have sex with him. It's disgusting." Marco saw Dylan from across the room and almost got whip lash from turning his head away so quickly.

"Geez. Something must really be bugging you. Why does that disgust you? You said yourself 'That's what we do'. I remember you saying that awhile ago in your hospital bed."

"Yeah, well, I meant older ones. Experienced ones."

"Whatever." Marco was too busy trying to eavesdrop on Dylan and Journey's conversation…

~~~~~~~~~~

"Marco's cool," Journey said.

"Yeah, sure." Dylan didn't seem too into this topic.

"What's wrong? Why don't you like Marco that much? He hot…"

"Excuse me, BOYFRIEND?"

"Well he is." Journey backed up like Dylan was going to pounce on him. "Plus he seems smart, an awesome dresser, just a nice guy all around."

"Think again." Dylan just wanted to get off of Marco.

"What the hell is your problem? Come on Dylan, I'm your boyfriend. You can tell me anything."

Dylan finally forced out of himself, "Marco's my ex."

"I knew it!" Journey was just relieved that Dylan finally said something. "It figures. I mean, come on. Two gay guys. Desperate."

"Drop it will you! I don't want to talk about it."

"Does it have something to do with him coming back after that break of his?"

"Well, sorta."

"Continue."

"Well my sister's boyfriend and gang beat him up after I left him there to walk home. I feel guilty for the entire thing. I could just kill myself."

"So you do still care about him."

"Well, like a distant friend, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah. I totally understand." Journey touched his hand.

"That's what I love about you! You are so understanding. You're the greatest guy a guy could have." Dylan finally noticed Marco trying to look at them. "Come here." Dylan leaned in and kissed Journey, simply to tick Marco off. Everyone in the cafeteria turned and stared at the new couple. There were a wide variety of reactions. But Dylan was only looking for one, and he got it. Marco got up and walked out of the cafeteria. His ex and his new crush, making out.

The star* means only certain people would understand this if you know what I mean. 


	7. Stereotypes

Argh! This can't be happening!!! And all so quick too, Marco thought, sitting there in the washroom. He had been sitting there awhile. He just wanted to escape from reality. Just for two seconds would be nice. 

Marco splashed his face with some water and continued on to seventh period. That was his Algebra IV class. He was two years ahead of all the other people in his grade since he started his algebra in seventh grade.

He walked in the class, ten minutes late, but the teacher let him off the hook since Marco is kind of like the class pet. He took his notes and books and other things he needed out of his backpack and put them on the his desk. He really didn't feel like doing the work. And he didn't. Luckily the teacher just expects them to do the work and not check it. Marco was too busy worrying.

But he didn't know what he was worrying about. So what if my first real relationship with someone had completely gone wrong? He couldn't help that. And he knew he couldn't help that. Something else must have been bugging him…

Maybe it was the fact that Dylan was ALREADY going out with this guy, when he had only known him for like a week. But, he realized Dylan wasn't part of the problem. At all.

Maybe it was that Journey was already going out with Dylan. Journey had to be smarter than that. It was a little freaky that a guy like Journey was going out him. Journey seemed too sweet and, well, smart to be going out with someone. At least Marco got to know Dylan before they started going out. That wasn't the big problem either.

Marco finally put his finger on it. Marco realized that the three of them were being way too stereotypical. That was alright, but it kind of proved that EVERY gay guy acted like that. But some do. But then again, some don't. He had to stop being too stereotypical.

To start with, the way he dressed is a dead give away. But he liked the way he dressed. He wasn't going to go out to tonight and shop for entirely different wardrobe.

Shopping. He could go shopping on the weekends and just the weekends, instead of three times during the week. He work with that.

His hair. No, that was like his clothes.

The way he talked could be changed. After awhile, though, he figured out that he couldn't change it after all.

The bell rang. Ellie and Ashley were in his next period, so he figured he could ask them for some help.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ellie, I just had a brilliant idea!" Marco rushed into the classroom over to Ellie like his clothes were on fire.

"What? Did you invent something that…" Marco cut her off before she could finish her sentence. He does that a lot, Ellie thought.

"Something was bugging me in algebra class, and I finally figured out what it was."

"You seeing a doctor for it?" Ashley chimed in.

"No." That was a big no from Marco, by the way. "The three members of the family…"

"What?" Ellie said.

"'The family.' Gay/Lesbian lingo for someone who is." He said that quickly since he just wanted to get on with his idea. "Anyway, The three members of the family here at school. Oh yeah, four if you count the Lesbian." Marco was losing his train of thought. "We're all being too stereotypical. I kinda realized I definitely was, being into fashion and my voice and my hair and…"

"We get the point, Marco." Ashley just had to stop his ranting.

"Okay. I want to stop being too stereotypical." Ellie and Ashley just broke out laughing when they heard that. "What's so funny?"

"Marco, no offense, but you've always been like this. Ever since I can remember." Ellie honestly can't remember a time when he acted straight.

"I guess you're right." Marco was easily discouraged. But he wasn't going to give up without a fight. "But why can't I change? It's easy to do."

"Okay then, Mr. Del Rossi. I order you to be a heterosexual."

"Have sex with girls? Ew. Nasty." Marco gave a faint laugh. "Just kidding. I meant something easy to change."

"Okay. Do your hair…"

"Nothing to do with my hair or clothes though."

"Fine." Ellie was fresh out of ideas, now. "Ash, got anything."

"Well change the way you talk or walk. That's all I can come up with."

Marco thought about that for a little. "You know, change is harder than what I thought it was. Maybe I really should just drop the whole thing." He looked at Ellie. "But I see someone who needs a quick fixer-upper."

"Shut up. I do not." Ellie was offended by Marco's crude remark.

"Well, I need some change. I don't care who changes. Oh my God! I have a great idea."

"What?" Ellie didn't sound too enthusiastic.

"Ash and I could give you a makeover. Just for a day. Prove everyone wrong about what they think of you."

"And what do they think of me?"

"I don't know. I just want something fun to do. Come on. Dinner at The Dot on me and Ash and I will pay for all of you clothes and stuff like that."

"We will?" Ashley said. Marco gave her a look when she said that. "Oh yeah, of course we will." Ashley gave a nervous laugh.

"Fine. But I'm only doing it for you Marco." Marco jumped in a minor burst of excitement. After class, Ellie commented, "You know, if you weren't bashed recently again, I would so not be doing this for you."

"You're the best El," Marco said. He hugged her. He was finally having a girls night out, plus himself.


End file.
